Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 11 · 2026-10-26

IELTS Writing Task 1 question

The take below gives information about the underground railway systems in six cities.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Underground Railway Systems

City	Date opened	Kilometers of route	Passengers per year (in millions)
London	1863	394	775
Paris	1900	199	1191
Tokyo	1927	155	1927
Washington DC	1976	126	144
Kyoto	1981	11	45
Los Angeles	2001	28	50

Student answer (Band 5.5)

The table gives information about the underground transit network in 6 cities around the world.

Overall, London is the oldest railway system and also has the most kilometers in its route while Japan being the most effective by carrying the most passengers per year. Los Angeles is the newest metro station being opened compared to the other five cities.

London's railway system, being opened in 1863, is the oldest railway system in the list while also carrying more than 700 million passengers a year. Tokyo while having the second least kilometers of route in the table, carries the most passengers in a year with 1927 million passengers travelling per year.

Kyoto has the least number of kilometers by route that is 11.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You identify several important features, including London as the oldest system, its longest route, Tokyo’s highest annual passenger total, and Kyoto’s shortest route. However, the summary is only partial: Paris and Washington, DC are not discussed, and the passenger figures for London and the smaller systems are not compared accurately or in detail. The overview also says Japan is “the most effective,” which is an unsupported interpretation; the table shows passenger numbers, not efficiency. Los Angeles is correctly identified as the newest, but this point is not developed with its opening date or figures. The response is 28 words below the required minimum, leaving too little space to cover the data adequately. Include all six cities and compare the main extremes using precise figures.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a basic, recognisable structure: an introduction, an overview, and a paragraph with selected details. The ideas are generally understandable, and phrases such as “while” help signal comparison. However, progression is limited because the final paragraph contains only one brief fact about Kyoto, while several cities and data categories are left ungrouped. The repeated use of “railway system” and “passengers” also makes the writing feel repetitive, and the relationship between the overview’s claims and the supporting details is not always clear. Organise the body by meaningful comparisons—for example, older, longer systems versus newer, shorter ones—and use linking phrases to connect the figures rather than presenting isolated observations.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for describing the table, including “oldest,” “newest,” “kilometers,” and “passengers per year,” so the main information is usually clear. There is some attempt to vary expression with “railway system,” “transit network,” and “metro station.” However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural: “most effective” is not supported by passenger totals, and “metro station” refers to a station rather than a whole network. “Kilometers in its route” and “kilometers of route” are also awkward collocations. Aim for precise data-reporting language such as “route length,” “annual ridership,” and “recorded the highest passenger total.” This would make comparisons clearer and more appropriate to an academic summary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response includes both straightforward statements and some attempts at more complex structures, such as “while also carrying more than 700 million passengers a year.” Meaning is generally recoverable, but errors and awkward constructions recur. In the overview, “while Japan being the most effective” lacks a finite verb; write “while Tokyo carries the most passengers.” The phrase “Los Angeles is the newest metro station being opened” has an incorrect structure and should be recast as “Los Angeles has the newest system, which opened in 2001.” There are also unclear comparisons in “Tokyo while having the second least kilometers of route.” Use complete clauses and check that each comparison has a clear subject and verb. More consistently controlled complex sentences would improve accuracy.

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